These are very interesting set of poems , I have very often quoted poems of Hero describing the beauty of Heroine but this poem is all about the villein of the story(Ravana is the Villein of the Kamban's Iramavatharam) describing the heroine (Sita). Tamil poem in my blog.... http://karkanirka.wordpress.com/2008/06/02/kambaramayanam2/
In this darkness so thick no fire or arrow could pierce it, she appears,with a thundercloud for her hair, her body an utterly incomparable branch of fine coral,with her breasts like pair of young coconuts and her face like the moon, a lamp that she raises before me burning here alone.
Am I confused because of my delusion or is there another moon? What is this that I cant understand? Through this darkness blacker than when thick collyrium is mixed,with two earrings and her deep black hair,a full moon comping up now she appears,shining!
I cannot see a waist between her hips and the breast that rise from their wide base. Other wise I have seen all her forms and with her eyes that have swallowed poison, this young woman,step by step,has entered my heart.
Before this, I have seen all of them with eyes like swords seven worlds but never before I have seen woman formed like this. If she is so different it can only be she my sister told of,this young woman whose hair swarms with bees! Poet : Kamban Translated by Gorge L Hart and Hank Heifetz
I would like you to observe the last two lines, here Kamban inspired by Sangam poems have described Sita hair to be fragrant and hence swarmed by bees(hence indicating that she had natural fragrance).This motif is explained in my Thiruvilayadal blog. So after the love sickness motif , now I am also getting lot of poems under Hair-Bees motif!
> > I would like you to observe the last two lines, here Kamban inspired > by Sangam poems have described Sita hair to be fragrant and hence > swarmed by bees(hence indicating that she had natural fragrance).This > motif is explained in my Thiruvilayadal blog. So after the love > sickness motif , now I am also getting lot of poems under Hair-Bees motif! >
Hi vairam,
There is another verse - when rama senses the arrival of surpanka..the bells of her anklet, the fragrance from his garland and the buzz of bees from her hair....seeing her slender waist and other well endowed beauty - he aks himself such a beauty i have not seen in the three worlds - there is no limits to her beauty and remarks which other lady can stand up to her in comparison!!!
Another sequence that will be interesting is the place when Sita comes to the swayamvara hall - her beauty will be beautifully explained. two sentenses which are really rare to listen are
" thanaNi Anapodhu thanaku Ani yathu maadho"
"Manjarkum Madhararkum Manam enbadhu ondre andro"
We would be happy to read your translation for the above paragraphs.
Hi Chitra, I am too young to be called a sir! and I dont translate any of the verses...I just post good translations which I read in books. The verses are translated by the great Gorge L Hart!